The present invention relates to a simulated clay tile roof construction. Due to the costs for materials, the weight, and the cost of construction using conventional clay tiles, there have been many simulated tile roof constructions proposed in the past. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 779,883 to J. Singer for IMITATION TILING and U.S. Pat. No. 1,633,755 to J. Tyra for METAL SPANISH TILE. It has also been contemplated to use fiberglass and synthetic resinous material for the manufacture of roof tiles and other building components as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,830,687 to Re et al for FLAME RETARDANT AND FIRE RESISTANT ROOFING MATERIAL; No. 3,030,234 to J. L. McClinton for FILLED POLYESTER RESIN HAVING A COATING OF EPOXY RESIN AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME; No. 4,279,106 to Gleason et al for ROOFING PANEL; and No. 4,242,406 to El Bouhnini et al for FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LAMINATE COMPOSED OF TWO LAYERS TIED TO ONE ANOTHER BY EMBEDDED FIBERS BRIDGING BOTH LAYERS.
The prior art simulated tile roof arrangements have not been satisfactory in all respects with regard to appearance, durability, weather resistance, weight, and costs for manufacture and costs for assembly into building roofs. For example, with mobile home arrangements, it is especially important that the simulated tile roof exhibits a minimum weight without compromising the appearance, the weather resistance, and the strength while at the same time being economical to manufacture and assemble in the finished building construction.
The present invention proposes a new simulated tile roof construction which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages of prior arrangements and provides for an especially light weight, attractive, and inexpensive installation. The simulated tile roof panel members of preferred embodiments of the present invention are molded as unitary members with a plurality of layers of material, with an upper layer of gelcoat which is colorfast and weather resistant. In order to minimize the cost of construction, while optimizing the strength and weight of the roof panel members, a substantial portion of the area of the individual panel members is constructed of fiberglass reinforced gypsum, with only edge portions at raised simulated tile parts being of fiberglass reinforced plastic. In this way, the economics of the fiberglass reinforced gypsum construction are obtained, while the necessary strength at the edge of the panel member where it is joined to the next adjacent panel is assured by means of the fiberglass reinforced plastic. Gypsum's fire retardant properties assist in assuring that this construction further results in a fireproof panel member at minimum total cost.
The present invention further contemplates a new and advantageous method of manufacturing the roof panel members. According to this method, the fiberglass reinforced gypsum layer is formed by adding fiberglass to a wet underlayer of gelcoat (plastic) and fiberglass, and then adding gypsum to this added fiberglass, followed by rolling of the composite fiberglass gypsum layer, whereby the wet underlayer serves to assist in forming a mechanical bond with the fiberglass reinforced gypsum layer in a reliable and economical manner.
According to another advantageous feature of preferred embodiments of the present invention, diagonally opposite corners of edge portions of the panel members, which are over-lapped and/or under-lapped with respect to the next adjacent panel when assembled to form a roof, are provided with corner cut-out sections which engagingly abuttingly interlock with corresponding corner cut-out sections of diagonally adjacent panel members when placed in position on an assembled roof. With this arrangement, the assembly of the panel members in precise proper relationship relative to one another is assured with a minimum of skill being required.
With the roof construction of the simulated tile panel members of the present invention, no felt and/or plywood underlayment is required. The panel members are secured by screws which extend through raised simulated tile portions and are attached to furring strips arranged across the rafter members. In this way, a very light-weight roof construction results, which is easily assembled by unskilled workers, but which provides a long lasting roof requiring practically no maintenance, which does not leak, and which is completely fireproof. The weight of the roof construction using the present invention is approximately 21/2 pounds per square foot of roof area, as compared to a normal shingled roof which would weigh 3 pounds per square foot plus the weight of the plywood and felt underlayment.
These and further features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood when considered in light of the following description and illustrations of preferred embodiments of the present invention.